The present disclosure relates to a condensate drain for a compressed air system that drains condensate generated from moisture when moist atmospheric air is compressed by various compressed air systems used at industrial sites.
Generally, in a production line, condensate is generated from compression of air by a compressed air system. When the condensate is not duly removed, it can cause malfunctioning of equipment. Specifically, reverse flow of air into a compressor can cause function loss of the compressor, and infiltration of condensate into various auxiliary components can lead to severe problems such as discontinuation in production line operation and product defects.
Related art condensate drains for compressed air systems can largely be divided into integrated ball float and valve drains, indirect drains with a separate ball float and valve, electromagnetic solenoid drains, and integrated drains with an electromagnetic solenoid coupled with a sensor.
However, the above related art condensate drains have many limitations.
First, in integrated ball float and valve drains, because the ball float directly controls the drain hole, it is difficult to employ a drain nozzle size exceeding 3 mm, and as a result, scale deposits and other impurities inside the drain passage can easily clog and block the drain hole. Thus, periodic disassembly and cleaning is required.
Also, in an electromagnetic solenoid drain, while condensate is collected at regular intervals and forcefully drained at preset times externally, compressed air is discharged to the outside together with the condensate. Thus, not only is energy lost, but an external power source must be connected to the drain during on-site installation of equipment, presenting limitations for the use of electromagnetic solenoid drains.
Moreover, an integrated drain with an electromagnetic solenoid coupled with a sensor employs a diaphragm valve made of a synthetic rubber material. This type of drain also requires an external power source.